Unarguably one of the most universal things: Music

In my previous post, I talked about my love for the music. Summary: I love music and I have a particular interest for getting to know music of different cultures.

Now I want to share something special for me, related to music:
There is a place in Covent Garden, downstairs in the main hall. There is a restaurant and a couple of shops, cafes around it. There is a sitting area with a couple of tables, which belongs to the restaurant. It is usually hard to find a free table to sit, so you need to wait. The restaurant has delicious food but, I think, why that restaurant is so popular is because …. It is where some classical music artists, sopranos or tenors have their mini-performances! The music they perform is familiar:  Four Seasons, The Barber of Seville, Eine Kleine Nachtmusik, West Side Story…. And as soon as they start, people gather around: Watching them from upstairs, downstairs, on the tables, on sideways. It is a genuine real time show! And it is an interactive show- they come to your table, make jokes with you, look you directly in the eye and mimic your facial expressions. You eat good food, have your wine and enjoy the wonderful music by being part of it with other people coming from different countries, speaking different languages (owing to the fact that Covent Garden is a very touristic place) but you unite in music, or better, in the universality of the music. You might not speak Japanese but you share the joy of listening to Hungarian Dances with your Japanese neighbour standing next to you. So it is music, that unites, that lifts the boundaries.

All in itself, music is a special thing, but also the performer has a great share in the success of it. When watching them sing, act, smile, their eyes, changing pitch of their voice…. you simply understand and get carried away into a different world.

There is a couple among these performers. They come with their baby and a young lady looking after the baby. (it is a BABY- so “baby” that you cannot see her/him under the blanket). Anyway, mum and dad start performing, people watch them dazzled. It is obvious that they enjoy what they do so much that the joy that you have out of this performance increases, just by seeing them- having their electricity giving you goosebumps.

That's Amore from Dino 

Singing Maria from The West Side Story 

Find me in the picture?!

This couple is now familiar to my family: My parents were visiting us when we went there, then came my sister and we were there again… Maybe we are also familiar to them?

Next group- Singing, playing and dancing at the same time, so excuse the blurry picture as I was also singing, dancing and ummmmm, clapping!

So this activity is one of my favourites here. I am a new Londoner, I am still trying to get used to here and I must confess, I feel Madrid is still Number 1 for me, or let’s say, I do not have such strong attachments for London YET, but we are getting used to each other ( this is another story).

Did I mention the food? Oh yes, I had my share!
All British cheese 

Now I have a list in my head: A couple of my friends that I am going to take to see this. Of course, everyone is welcome but there is ONE- who knows herself- when she comes here, I imagine our days will be exhaustive!